The Academy Awards offer a huge, guaranteed audience of both industry and civilian fans. That makes it a unique opportunity for stars and non-stars alike to act out with the assurance that someone, somewhere will be paying attention to them.

Chelsea Dom was working on a photo series about prostitutes and strippers when she came up with the idea for A History of Sluts, an art book that looks at powerful women throughout history with one thing common: They've each been called a slut.